Which Cab Should I Sacrifice To Backline?

BillyIVbass · #1 09-01-2011, 10:03 PM

So half awake I agreed to lend a guitarist a bass amp, turns out it's a backline for an outdoor benefit, good guy so I don't want to let him down. The cabs;

1. Hartke Hydrive 410
2. Peavey 115 with Eminence speaker

I know the Hartke would sound better, be easier to move and probably handle more (says it can do 1000 watts) buuut, I won't be there guarding it so Godzilla technically could be playing.

The Peavey I don't really care about. We're talking a $600 Hartke cab that I regularly use vs. a Peavey that sits in my garage.

Does lending out the Peavey with a 250 watt head make me less of a team player?

will33 · #2 09-01-2011, 10:10 PM

If you're going to loan out anything, make it something that won't upset you if it doesn't come back in one piece or broken. Outdoor gig? Some idiot will have the volume and bass knob cranked.

JimmyM · #3 09-01-2011, 10:12 PM

Does he know how to operate a cab? Is there PA for bass? Do you trust him not to bash it up? People don't take care of your stuff like they take care of theirs. But there's a chance he'd blow your 115 with a 250w head, so I guess you have to decide whether you want to lend out a cab that can take it or one that might not. I'd probably go with the Hydrive.

natw42 · #4 09-01-2011, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillyIVbass

Does lending out the Peavey with a 250 watt head make me less of a team player?

The fact that you area lending anything out at all makes you a team player. Especially if you aren't around - I would say the back up rig should be the loaner.

BillyIVbass · #5 09-01-2011, 10:44 PM

There's a 10,000 watt PA system so the bass amp is a stage volume thing. He's a guitar player so he knows how amps operate. As far as wear and tear during the show/between bands I don't expect him to be watching it like a hawk.

I guess I'm leaning more towards the Peavey. I'd be more bummed if there was a scuff on the Hartke than if he blew up the Peavey with dynamite.

will33 · #6 09-01-2011, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillyIVbass

He's a guitar player so he knows how amps operate.

Haha...good one.

You answered your question in your last sentence there.^

yamaha · #7 09-01-2011, 11:03 PM

Well, I'd go Peavey. I've seen and played horrible backlines. Peavey will do the job I'm sure.

Also, is the guitarist gonna play bass or guitar on it. I find 15's for guitar to be quite good for a warm mellow blues tone, as well as for acoustic guitar.

BillyIVbass · #8 09-01-2011, 11:07 PM

The guitar player is sort of running the stage and allowing other bands to use my amp. I don't have a schedule and my band isn't playing 'til later. If it was Grandma's Bingo Buds playing I wouldn't care, but I don't want some downtuned teenage metal group beating on my rig.

cableguy · #9 09-01-2011, 11:08 PM

Peavey. Plenty of used ones out there if they blow yours. Better to lose you back up cab than your main one.

seanm · #10 09-01-2011, 11:15 PM

I also vote Peavey. They are tough, one 15 should be good enough as a monitor (maybe raise it off the floor) and you have less to lose.

lowendgenerator · #11 09-01-2011, 11:18 PM

Honestly, I would go with whichever one I thought would survive the conditions. The 1x15 is almost guaranteed to come back dead.

seanm · #12 09-02-2011, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowendgenerator

Honestly, I would go with whichever one I thought would survive the conditions. The 1x15 is almost guaranteed to come back dead.

Do you really think so? With a 250W head?

BillyIVbass · #13 09-02-2011, 12:28 AM

I should probably add the Peavey has an Eminence Kappa Pro 15" speaker. I think that does 500 watts at 8ohms.

From my experience, if I'm showing up to a "mystery backline" I bring a head if at all possible.

lowendgenerator · #14 09-02-2011, 01:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seanm

Do you really think so? With a 250W head?

With the gain and bass cranked? Yes.

A 500w speaker might make it.

seanm · #15 09-02-2011, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowendgenerator

With the gain and bass cranked? Yes.

A 500w speaker might make it.

Hmmmmm..... could you somehow take off the bass knob, tape it in place, then put the knob back on. Just so they couldn't (without a lot of effort) change it? Just wondering, since that would reduce the load on the speaker.

will33 · #16 09-02-2011, 01:31 PM

While the power rating does matter some, the advantage of the kappa pro is it's 13mm xlim. With a 250 watt amp, you could crank the thing into total fart city and it theoretically should hold together.

gnjpowell · #17 09-02-2011, 01:35 PM

Unless you trust 'em 100% and they have the means and the will to replace it - or you don't care if it never comes back at all - NEVER loan out ANYTHING!

will33 · #18 09-03-2011, 01:39 AM

Put chickenhead knobs on the bass and master vol., then run a couple screws in the front panel next to them to create a false stop so they can't turn 'em up too high.

BillyIVbass · #19 09-03-2011, 12:13 PM

Went with the Peavey 1x15. I used it last night to test its limits. Had an Eden WTDI going in front of the amp with a ton of bass. Holy Smokes it sounded huge and didn't seem to tax the setup.

We'll see when I get there at 8 if it's been blown to confetti!